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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26757631">boundaries and other rules of thumb</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/whateverliesunsaid/pseuds/whateverliesunsaid'>whateverliesunsaid</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>a crash course in human experiences [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Twilight Series - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, i just feel like the sleepovers are hella forward for these two, so i let bella do some boundary work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:23:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>689</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26757631</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/whateverliesunsaid/pseuds/whateverliesunsaid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Bella proposed they do things like normal people do, for once.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edward Cullen/Bella Swan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>a crash course in human experiences [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2112324</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>boundaries and other rules of thumb</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She’s holding his hand again, as she tends to do, staring at it with utmost attention, as if only the bat of an eye could make it disappear, drag the cool of his presence off and away from her — sometimes, it did. Deep in thought, her brow furrows without her consent or perception, a sigh escaping her control and snapping him off his reverie, opening his honey’d eyes to look at her again .</p><p>“What’s on your mind? ” he asked so softly it made her head spin at the drawl of his voice. She entwines their fingers again, dragging her thumb across his palm in a soothing motion that is meant for the both of them equally.</p><p>“it’s just—” she starts and stops. Teeth digging into her lips as she chooses her words carefully, knowing that he would grow impatient by the second and still would hold himself to chivalry, waiting for her to come up with the words and using it to her benefit. The light reflected on his skin was a dazzling sight, and she closed her eyes to avoid the distraction while she put her words together. Sensing the weight in her silence, he pushed himself up to his elbows, small yellow petals untangling off his hair and slipping off behind him as he did it. her heartbeat falters, but does not stop. “Maybe we shouldn’t sleep together — i mean, i sleep, you watch— <em>every</em> night.”</p><p>Before he can respond, she continues: “I love sleeping with you here. It makes me feel safe. And i don’t want to stop completely. I don’t, but— sometimes, human minutes have to be more like human hours. get it?”</p><p>“What do you propose, then?” he concedes, and relief washes over her at the prospect of not having to explain herself entirely. A small smile is born at the corner of her lips.</p><p>“That we make plans. and if i ever want you to come over, i’ll text you, or call you, and then you can go do your nightly hobbies that aren’t people watching. And vice versa. If you don’t feel like coming over, just tell me. Like normal people do.” he laughs at the mention of normal people, which they are both not for different reasons — she, ever the bruised rose, bleeding. he, her own angel of death. Obstinate weirdos. She puts her pointer finger in between his brows, pushing his head back, which makes him laugh harder and pull her into his chest, cradling her in his arms safely as he swung her over, laying her down in the meadow’s floor, his face above &amp; against the sun while the petals came tumbling down off his marble skin to meet her halfway.</p><p>"I feel compelled to warn you that, for one, i'm not a people watcher, per se. The only 'person' — in the strictest sense of the word, of course — i ever watch is <em>you</em>. And yes, whatever makes you feel more comfortable is exactly what i want to do." One determined petal stuck to his hair, contrasting it beautifully, and Bella held back the urge to reach for a camera, a way to immortalize the sight.</p><p>In a way, she was always holding her breath for the day the breeze would hit them a little harder than usual and he would melt away, like a mirage. Something in the carefully contained joy he kept behind his eyes, that little stubborn hope that she would ever ask him to go away, told her that she wasn't entirely alone in this anticipation. They were both expecting the other to run, but never daring to take the first step. Be it selfish desire or love, she was happy she had it either way. If he ever hoped she would be the one to cave, he knew nothing of Bella Swan — <em>that</em>, as she had none other, was her best kept secret and she smiled softly, not daring to hint at it, but steeled by its presence in the depths of her core. "Then we have a plan." </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>FROM:</strong> BELLA SWAN</p><p><strong>TO:</strong> EDWARD CULLEN</p><p><strong>02:24AM:</strong> miss you. come over when you can.</p>
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